Expansible bracelet



i July 29, 1930.

L. lv. LAMB EXPANSIBLE BRACELET Filed July 18, 1928 y Qrea/dLl/zf/z @Zai/.5., K

Patented July 29, 19.30

LEONARD` I. LAMB, oF ATTLEBoEo, MASSACHUSETTS,.AssIGNoR 'ro .EjisrivrivroNs ooivrrAivv,v 0E ATTLEBoao, MAssAeHUsE/rtrs, VVA corAia'rNEEsH,Irvr corisis'rlNG or JOSEPH L. SWEET AND HAROLD E. SWEET EXPANSIBLE yEigner:Liri: p

Application filed July' 18,

This invention relates to expansible bracelets such for example as are commonly used.

for supporting wrist watches or the like, and more particularly to an expansible unit which is adapted to be connected to the ends ofa wrist-encircling portion of the bracelet to permit the latter readily to be applied to or removed from the wrist.

The present invention provides a compact eXpansible unit of this character which may be comparatively flat', thus avoiding objectionableprojection beyond the surface of the wrist and conforming with modern style trends and usage. The present invention is particularly designed to provide a unit ofthis character permitting anunusually high def gree of expansibility by providingan overlappingarrangement of the resilient elements which are stretched to permit the bracelet to be removed or applied to the wrist, the resilient means preferably being arranged to have substantially parallel portions engaging the ends of the wrist-encircling elements so that the springs may have a comparatively small diameter and thus permit the provision of a mo-re compact unit. The invention is particularly applicable to bracelets of the type `which are provided with a single unit of this character, which unit is preferably suitably decorated or embossed to resemble a fancy buckle or the like.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view, with ya part of the casing broken away, showing the improved expansible connector secured to the wrist-encircling elements; f

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in the positions they occupy when the resilient elements are expanded.

In accordance with the present invention any suitable wrist-encircling means or elements l, such for example as strips of meshed chain fabric, may have their ends connected by the expansible means designated in general by numeral 2. YVhile obviously the elements'lV may be connected to a Wrist watch or similar article, the invention is also applicable to a single wrist-encircling element which has its ends secured to the eixpansiblev means 2.

1928.l y ,Serial No. 293,546. i

The latter is provided with a centralsupporting element or plate Which'preferably may be curved as shown in Fig. `2 -to conform to the general shape of the human'wrist.y The, plate carries outstandinglugs 4 which proiject from opposite faces ofthe plateat opposite ends thereof. These lugs preferably havecurved Vgrooves in each-of which the intermediate portiony ofac'oil spring 6= is received. The end portions `of thesev springs terminate in wire convolutions 9'Which. en. gage theends of, transverse pins l() that are .received in suitable sheet metal elements 11. carried by the ends ofthe wrist-encircling elements. VThis arrangement of the-springs '6.- provides two. spring elements acting in parf; allel to resist the outward movementof each end o-f the wrist-'encircling portion, thus permitt'ng the provisiongof a `thin compact unit..

As shown in Fig. 2,when `thefsprings 6: are in their contracted positions, the ends of, the'wrist-,encircling elements maybe sube stantially above eachother,` adjoining the; middle of plate 3 Yand beingseparated by the.; same. The lugs 4 yand the springs 4Gare arranged, however, so 4that when ,thelatter' are stretched or `expanded they. will permit the ends ofthe corresponding wrist-encircling element to be juxtaposed tothe ends lofp'latev 3. This positionvof parts is illustrated, for example, in Fig. 3, it being evident that the overlapping arrangement ofthe expanded springs iny this manner `permits al1/unusually'- high degree of expansibilityywith a single compact expansible means. i

A suitable decorated covering factor 20of.-

sheet metal may be arranged about the 4eX- pansible means2. This'may comprise interfitting. casings 21 and 22 which are curved `to conform tothe shape of the wrist and'which are snappedy or pressed into engagementwith each other. Each of these' casings has a closed end 23 adjoining a lug 4 and an open end,24` permitting the wrist-encircling elements freely to move therethrough, f Preferably the open'ends 24I are provided with flange portions 25 thatare adapted to engagexthe elev ments 11 to provide stops to limit the eXpan-g sion of these springs. i j v Itis evident that this invention provides a lil as, there being a stud'n each compartment, and

bracelet which may have a single expansible means that may be assembled in a comparatively flat and compact decorative casing, while the overlapping arrangement of the resilient elements permits an unusually high degree of expansibility.

I claim:

l. A bracelet comprising a wrist-encircling portion, expansible means connecting the ends of that portion, an intermediate plate associated with said means, springs at either side of said plate, the ends of the wrist-encircling portion being arranged at opposite sides of the plate and connected to the springs, whereby the springs and ends of the Wrist-encircling portion are in overlapping relation to each. other.

2. A bracelet comprising a wrist-encircling portion, `expansible means connecting the ends of that portion, said ends and means being flat., a casing arranged about the saine, said means includinga plurality of spring elements connected to each end of the encircling portion within the casing, each end ot the encircling element and the spring ele-v ments secured thereto being arranged in a plane parallel to that of the other end and the spring elements connected to the same.

3. vA braceletl .comprising a wrist-encircling portion, eXpansible means connecting the ends of that portion, said means including a pair ofnsprings arranged at opposite sides of an intermediate plate, lugs at the opposite ends of the plate, an intermediate part of each spring being received in a curved groove upon one of said lugs, the ends of the springs being connected to the encircling portion, whereby the springs when expanded may be in overlapping relation to each other.

4f. A bracelet comprising a wrist-encircling portion, and an expansib'le unit connecting opposite ends of the bracelet, said unit including a longitudinal plate disposed between the bracelet ends, said endsbeing slidable over the opposite sides of said plate and being normally held in parallel, overlapping relation, and springs connected to the Vrespective ends of the bracelet and to said plate at opposite sidesthereof, the springs being arranged substantially in line with the respectivev bracelet ends so that when the bracelet ends are drawn apart, the extended springs overlap in spaced parallel relation.

5.v An eXpansible connector for opposed ends of a bracelet, comprising a casing hav- 

